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Nigel Farage: ‘Jewish Lobby’ Has ‘Big Influence’ Over U.S. Politics

Former Ukip leader asks why Israeli groups don’t face as much scrutiny as Russia.

Nigel Farage, the former leader of the pro-Brexit, right-wing United Kingdom Independence Party in the U.K., has warned of a “Jewish lobby” in American politics in an apparent attempt to defend Russia against election-meddling claims. Farage, an outspoken supporter of President Trump, made the comments on the Leading Britain’s Conversation radio show during a discussion on the U.S. investigation into Russian election meddling. “There are about 6 million Jewish people living in America, so as a percentage it’s quite small, but in terms of influence its quite big,” Farage said. Farage seemed to question why Israel was not facing election-meddling accusations, saying Israeli groups “have a voice within American politics” but “I don’t think anybody is suggesting that the Israeli government tried to affect the result of the American elections.” He went on to attribute accusations against Russia to what he described as anti-Russia hysteria. “What it comes down to, in my view, is that Russia is seen by the European Union and by the Democrats to be the enemy,” he said, describing Russia’s President Putin as “the great bogeyman.”